eCom Logistics Podcast

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Why retail is now a demand chain, not a supply chain

How AMRs deliver 6–12 month ROI in high-variability e-commerce

Why robotics-as-a-service changes peak capacity planning

The real bottleneck in AI adoption: structured WMS data

Why dashboards are dying and exception-based orchestration is rising

How consolidation will reshape 3PL economics

Why operational excellence remains the ultimate differentiator

HIGHLIGHTS

00:01–00:12 | Consumer expectations and the “fast + free + cheap” reality

00:12–00:15 | AMRs, ASRS, RaaS, and 6–12 month automation ROI

00:15–00:16 | Buy vs build: what’s commodity vs “secret sauce”

00:16–00:19 | Agentic AI in warehouse ops: labor planning + execution

00:19–00:22 | AI proof, case studies, and demand planning as the next frontier

00:22–00:24 | Dashboards vs operators: turning analytics into actions

00:24–00:28 | Operator advice: efficiency, mechanization, and competition shifts

00:29–00:31 | Manifest trends: retail channels evolving + tech-driven 3PL future

QUOTES 

[00:04:10] “One of the biggest changes is you used to have a choice. You could either have it fast, you could have it free, or you could have it cheap. The consumer today wants all three.” – Jeff Wolpov

[00:05:10] “We as logistics supply chain companies need to lean in and figure out how to do more with less. Today it's a necessity.” – Jeff Wolpov

[00:07:30] “You need automation... We need to be faster and more flexible. Peaks have gotten much higher.” – Jeff Wolpov

[00:16:00] "The hard part isn't building AI or using AI. It's what do you do with the results?" - Gary Allen

[00:16:50] “Operators shouldn't hunt dashboards, they should get alerts, exception-based triggers. AI takes analytics to the next level.” – Gary Allen

[00:23:00] "Reporting is the death of analytics." - Gary Allen

 ABOUT THE GUESTS

Jeff Wolpov

Jeff Wolpov is Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Ryder Last Mile at Ryder System, Inc., where he leads the vision and strategy for omnichannel fulfillment and big & bulky home delivery.

Previously, he served as CEO of Whiplash (formerly Port Logistics Group), achieving nearly 30% year-over-year revenue growth before its acquisition by Ryder in 2022. Earlier in his career, Jeff founded Distribution Solutions, scaling it from a startup into a $50 million regional logistics firm that became the foundation of Whiplash’s national network.

He holds a degree from the University of Michigan.

Gary Allen

Gary Allen is Vice President of Supply Chain Excellence at Ryder, overseeing Solution Design, Continuous Improvement, Data Analytics, and Automation across the supply chain organization.

With more than 32 years of experience, he previously led EY’s logistics consulting practice and held leadership roles at DHL and FedEx in product innovation, solution design, sustainability, and operations.

Gary helped launch and co-author the “Annual Third Party Logistics Study” with Dr. John Langley of Penn State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Materials and Logistics Management from Michigan State University.

LINKS MENTIONED

Ryder report: https://www.ryder.com/en-us/insights/white-papers/e-comm/2025-ryder-e-commerce-consumer-study

Ryder website: https://www.ryder.com/en-us

Subscribe and Keep Learning!
If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.
Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Why balancing cost, speed, and quality is now table stakes in logistics strategy

How to design a flexible 3PL platform without hardcoding yourself into rigidity

The operational difference between supporting enterprise brands vs. high-growth brands

Why scenario planning still matters in an era of tariffs, snowstorms, and volatility

How to avoid over-engineering automation that limits long-term flexibility

What defines a true strategic partnership beyond SLAs and QBRs

Why solving problems together—not alone—is the real measure of partnership maturity

TIMESTAMPED SEGMENTS

00:00 – 01:00 | Balancing Cost, Speed & Quality Post-Pandemic

01:00 – 02:30 | Becoming the Customer: Operational Audits & CX Insight

02:30 – 04:00 | Agility, Uncertainty & Platform-First Thinking

04:00 – 05:30 | Defining High-Growth vs. Enterprise Brands

05:30 – 07:00 | Capability-Based Support Models vs. Split Teams

07:00 – 09:00 | What Real Strategic Partnerships Actually Look Like

TOP QUOTES 

[00:01:00] “We know the cost of customer acquisition has increased exponentially. So the customer you have is the customer that you wanna keep.” - Laura Ritchey

[00:03:00] “I think obviously the overused word of agility these days… how quickly can you divert to warehouses that aren't closed or to transportation options that are still running?” - Laura Ritchey

[00:05:00] “We were doing 10,000 orders a day. All of a sudden we have to do 100,000, and that's really different.” - Laura Ritchey

[00:08:15] “Are we solving them together, or are we solving them alone?” - Laura Ritchey

[00:18:00] “The team is looking to us to be the calm in the storm.” - Laura Ritchey

ABOUT THE GUEST

Laura Ritchey is President & CEO of the Americas region at GEODIS and a member of the Group’s Executive Board. She leads nearly 20,000 teammates across eight countries, overseeing contract logistics, freight forwarding, and transportation operations throughout North and South America. With more than 30 years of experience—including 15 years in supply chain leadership across retail and third-party logistics—Laura previously served as CEO of Radial, Inc., driving growth through operational excellence. Her background spans finance, sourcing, distribution, and strategic transformation. She holds a J.D., MBA, and bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.

LINKS MENTIONED

Laura's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-ritchey-55836a8/

GEODIS website: https://geodis.com/

 

Subscribe and Keep Learning!
If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.
Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN 
Why decision quality matters more than perfect systems in today’s supply chains
How leaders are shifting from growth-at-all-costs to margin-first thinking
What’s actually breaking inside warehouses amid labor churn and volatility
Where AI is helping operators—and where hype still outpaces reality
Why explainability, KPIs, and guardrails matter for AI adoption in operations
How leadership expectations are changing across supply chain organizations
What conversations operators are prioritizing heading into Manifest 2026
HIGHLIGHTS
00:00–02:35 | Why 2025 forced hard reflection across supply chain
03:17–04:30 | Decisions feel heavier, mistakes cost more
05:23–06:49 | The shift from growth to margin as a first principle
07:05–07:43 | Why warehouse systems lag brand expectations
08:08–08:58 | Recalibration after stacked volatility
09:48–11:20 | Why peak season planning never really ends
12:32–13:45 | Labor, churn, and execution pressure inside warehouses
14:35–16:51 | AI as decision enablement—not the strategy itself
18:14–21:43 | From AI fear to outcome-driven adoption
22:23–25:44 | What leadership looks like in volatile environments
26:47–28:16 | What leaders are watching heading into Manifest 2026
QUOTES
[00:03:17] “Decisions feel heavier. Mistakes are more expensive.” – Tanzil Uddin
[00:05:45] “There’s a shift away from growth at all costs, really a repositioning of margin as a first principle.” – Kinta Gates
[00:12:32] “The complexity with labor, training of the labor, churn of the labor, weather events, and the geopolitical state really impacts warehouse services.” – Linda Ewing
[00:22:23] “Leadership looks like getting in the weeds. We don’t have the luxury of just delegating.” – Kinta Gates
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Tanzil Uddin
SVP of Content & Partnerships at Manifest, where he works closely with supply chain leaders to shape programming around real operator priorities, partnerships, and emerging challenges across logistics and technology.
Kinta Gates
VP of Supply Chain & Operations at Glossier, overseeing end-to-end product operations. Kinta brings a people-first, margin-aware approach to scaling fulfillment, manufacturing, and supply chain execution.
Linda Ewing
SVP Strategy & Operations at ID Logistics with deep experience across manufacturing, supply chain, and warehouse services. Linda focuses on execution reality inside 3PL environments, labor challenges, and responsible technology adoption.
LINKS MENTIONED
Manifest 2026 Agenda: https://manife.st/agenda/
💡 Planning to attend Manifest 2026? Use this exclusive link for $200 off the current registration price: https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics

Subscribe and Keep Learning!
If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.
Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

What You’ll Learn

- Why legacy commerce APIs and EDI no longer suffice in today’s fragmented commerce landscape
- How AI and emerging protocols like MCP are accelerating the need for real-time fulfillment integration
- The structure, tools, and resources defined by OnX for seamless order management across ecosystems
- The nonprofit "business league" legal framework that keeps OnX vendor-agnostic and collaborative
- The challenges commerce platforms face with OMS integrations and how OnX aims to reduce friction
- The shift from platform-centric to protocol-centric commerce enabled by open standards
- How industry players—brands, 3PLs, ERP, WMS, and commerce platforms—are rallying behind OnX

Hihghlights
- 00:00 — Welcome, introduction to Kelly Goetsch and the focus: “Connected Commerce”
- 02:00 — The fragmentation problem: marketplaces, social commerce, AI, and legacy EDI
- 04:00 — The rise of MCP and Agentic Commerce Protocol as enablers for a new standard
- 06:00 — Building a “big tent” network: OMS, 3PLs, WMSs, ERPs connectivity challenges
- 10:00 — Commerce platform vs fulfillment backend: the tech and mindset divide
- 14:00 — What is OnX? Tools, resources, member base, and the standard’s scope
- 18:00 — How MCP makes OnX possible, collapsing layers between selling and fulfillment
- 22:00 — OnX’s “business league” structure explained
- 24:00 — Platform, payment, and AI player involvement and adoption challenges
- 28:00 — How to participate: advisory boards, GitHub access, and community involvement
- 30:00 — The future of connected commerce and invitation to join OnX

Quotes
[00:02:00]: "If the last decade was about composable commerce, the next one is about connected commerce." - Ninaad 
[00:04:00]: "AI is the reason for both of these. We’re really, really collapsing down." - Kelly Goetsch 
[00:10:00]: "About 70% of enterprise brands still run point-to-point integration, and that has its own set of challenges." - Ninaad 
[00:22:00]: "The benefit of that is: we, as a community, get together and evolve and change as technology changes. And that’s great." - Kelly Goetsch 

About the Guest

Kelly Goetsch is a technologist and strategist shaping the future of digital commerce and order fulfillment. Known for his leadership in the MACH Alliance and now Pipe17, Kelly has been a central voice in evolving commerce technology standards. He currently chairs the Commerce Operations Foundation, driving the development and adoption of the OnX standard for connected commerce.

Links Mentioned

- Commerce Operations Foundation website: commerceopsfoundation.org
- Commerce Operations Foundation GitHub: github.com/commerceopsfoundation
- Kelly Goetsch on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kgoetsch
- MACH Alliance: machalliance.org
------------------------------------------
Heading to Manifest 2026? Get $200 off the current registration price:
https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics

Subscribe and Keep Learning!
If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.
Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

What You’ll Learn:
The enduring priorities in fulfillment despite two decades of industry change: focus on the end-consumer experience and aligned people/process
The definition and strategic value of connected commerce as a frictionless end-to-end ecosystem across sales channels and fulfillment
Why tech integration across OMS, WMS, TMS and digital marketplaces remains the biggest hurdle to unified fulfillment
How Essendant repositions fulfillment from cost center to growth enabler, leveraging digital teams and marketplace expertise
When to accelerate 3PL expansion versus stabilize and optimize existing operations, anchored on clear value and identity assessment
The realities and opportunities around Seller Fulfilled Prime, including network scale, inventory optimization, and performance requirements
Key operational metrics beyond OTIF, including inventory health and profitability by channel, critical in managing complexity
Peak season outlook: early marketplace promotions, supply chain stability, and the goal to flatten the demand curve for better operational control
Highlights
00:00 – Guest Introduction & Industry Background
01:00 – Consistencies & Changes Over Two Decades in Fulfillment
03:00 – Defining Connected Commerce & Its Strategic Objectives
05:00 – Common Fulfillment-Tech Challenges & Silo Breakdown
07:00 – Unlocking Fulfillment as a Revenue Lever, Not Just Cost Center
10:00 – When to Accelerate vs. Stabilize 3PL Operations
14:00 – Procurement & Evaluation Dynamics in Mid-Market Deals
17:00 – Seller Fulfilled Prime: Market Demand & Execution Challenges
22:00 – Focused Operational Metrics to Drive Business Outcomes
28:00 – Peak Season Predictions & Advice
30:30 – Closing Thoughts & Contact Info 
 
Quotes:
[00:02:00]: “The things that remain consistent would certainly be focusing on the end consumer... building the right team around us to align with that strategy and then making sure that we had the right processes.” - Patrick Allard
[00:04:00]: “Connected commerce to us is really about creating that frictionless end-to-end ecosystem... from product discovery through the purchase cycle, all the way through fulfillment, delivery, final mile returns.” - Patrick Allard
[00:10:00]: “How do we know when to pour gas on the fire and really go for expansion, and when is it time to maybe take a step back, pause, and get the house in order?” - Dan
[00:19:00]: “There's still quite a bit of pain for the larger brand retailers that might have a really good dominant market and brand recognition, but where they want the prime badge, but having that inventory all locked up in Amazon...puts them in a financial challenge.”- Patrick Allard
[00:23:00]: “There’s a million things you can track and it is data overload... but the key is focusing on promise metrics, inventory health, and profitability by channel.”- Patrick Allard
About the Guest:
Patrick Allard is President of Fulfillment Services at Essendant, driving the transformation of a traditional B2B distributor into a connected commerce powerhouse. With over 20 years in e-commerce and logistics, Patrick has held leadership roles at Newgistics, Pitney Bowes, and Radial. His expertise spans M&A integrations, fulfillment scalability, multi-channel retail logistics, and leveraging fulfillment as a revenue growth lever rather than simply a cost center.

Links Mentioned:
Essendant Fulfillment Services: https://www.essendant.com/
Patrick Allard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-allard-04657111/
------------------------------------------
Heading to Manifest 2026? Get $200 off the current registration price:
https://partner.manife.st/partner/ecomlogistics

Subscribe and Keep Learning!
If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.
Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube